Hello All,

I think my bitches milk is drying up because the 3 puppies she has with her seem to be hungry alot in the last 24 hours and have only gained 10-13g each compaired with the 20-30g a day they have been putting on prior. I cant express any of the bitches milk either, I know this is not always a true indication but prior there was a fair bit expressed. They are 3 weeks 3days and they just wont seem to start on anything. I have tried gruel, gruel with lactol, lactol alone, babydog mousse and nothing will work. Her last litter was eating at 2-3 weeks. I have tried putting it all on my finger for them to lick and they're just not interested they wont bitches milk only.

Is there anything anyone can think of that I havent tried, I think these puppies must be dumb.

Scrapped raw beef?

I started mine with little balls of beef mince and then warmed up nature diet , one taste of that and they were flying. They were never interested in anything with puppy milk in it. Mind you these are large breed pups , i have no experience of toys.

its not good food and i certainly wouldnt recommend feeding it as a diet but pedigree chum tinned puppy food is great to get pups to start eating

As Westcoast said.....offer them raw - scraped off with a knife until a red pulp is made - beef steak.

If they are ready to be weaned they will have your hand off!!

If not  - its too early.

Tiny chunks of chicken or steak is what both my large toy breed litters were weaned on - they refused anything cereal or milk based, or soaked kibble. The first litter did like goats milk and scrambled egg, the 2nd singleton litter wouldn't touch it!

You say you have tried putting food on your finger for the pups to lick, but have you actually put a small amount into their mouths? I've not had many toylitters but certainly found  that I had to do this. Pop a bit of meat into the mouths, wait for it to be spat out, pop it back in again -suddenly it  dawns on the pups that wow, this is NICE! and then the next step is taking it off fingers. In comparison the large pups I've only ever had to put a plate down in front of and they instantly eat, but the toys take a lot more convincing. I also found they start eating solids later than larger pups.

I put the royal canin starter food in soaked till its like a paste then I remove mum for a wee while of cuddles so she doesnt scoff it. Mine have always walked in it and then licked it off themselves and each other before tracing the dish for more. Mine have been older though nearer 5-6 weeks and have fed off mum until then